Trucks in 4Wd but light is blinking

Today driving through the coast range I decided to exercise the 4wd a little on a old logging road. The very beginning of the road is very steep, loose gravel and pretty washboardy. About 1/4 of the way up my wheelers started loosing traction so I flipped the switch, briefly let my foot off the gas, and then continued on. Once I reached the top of the hill the 4wd indicator light was blinking but I was in 4wd. If you drive in 4wd you know the feeling the front has when it's in 4wd vs not, plus I didn't loose traction the rest of the way up the hill.

Any ideas

 

Blinking IME is from 2 things, trying to go to or from 4LO with out being in neutral, etc, did you accidentally turn your selector switch past the high noon mark?,
that or you weren't in 4wd despite your feeling that you were.

 

No I didn't turn it past 4wd H. If I wasn't in 4wd I would not have been able to make it to the top of the hill. The 4wd is also exercised regularly and shifts in and out without hesitation whenever I try it, as well as the diff lock.

 

I have found if I try to switch to 4hi from 2hi on a steep incline or while under heavy load it will flash and not fully engage. I try to make the shift while coasting slowly under no load and it engages quietly and quickly every time.

 

If it is blinking it is not in 4 wheel drive. @IronPeak4x4 is correct about 4LO as well.

 

I'm with you on that and have learned to take my foot off the gas for a second to allow it to engage which always works. I've just never experienced it in 4wd with the blinking light. When I reached the top I switched back to 2h and heard it click and disengage.

 

You also never want to make the switch while the tires are spinning. It sounds like you did from your OP.

 

Wrong. That only applies to going into 4LO where you have to be completely stopped AND shifted into neutral. 4H has auto hubs and can be done while rolling under 60mph.

 

WRONG. I guess spinning is the incorrect term. "slipping" is more accurate.

 

In the manual and on TW I've read multiple times to only engage 4h while moving (spinning wheels) and I've read don't worry if your stuck and it won't engage once you spin the wheels it will engage. When I engaged I was going 5mph and the rear was just beginning to loose traction but not spinning the tires like if you were in sand.

 

I'll bet you a whole dollar that it says in the manual not to engage 4hi while losing traction.

 

Not sure why you moving the goal posts would make my post wrong. In addition: spinning tires are spinning tires. The only difference is having power under them while you change to 4H which has never caused me any problems.

 

All I'm saying is that it says in the manual not to engage 4HI while your rear tires don't have traction/losing traction/etc. This could very well be the reason his truck didn't like it and beeped at him. It could also not be the reason.

EDIT: Just realized his truck didn't beep at him, merely blinked at him.

 

It also says not to use the rear locker above 5mph and that's never stopped me from doing donuts at 4k RPM.

@OP at a minimum the 4WD controller didn't like what you did. Turn it off and turn it back on again.

 

Tap on the front solenoid with a rubber hammer. Sometimes they get stuck from no lubrication from lack of usage. This will cause the light to blink until fully engaged. Maybe.... Just a guess

 

Aha fair enough. I'm just over here doing donuts without my locker engaged, because I don't have one #SportForLife

 

I have a 6spd, couldnt get 4x4 to engauge while on my test drive (light blinking), tech at the dealer told me to stop, apply e-brake then switch into 4x4. Worked just fine then, not sure what the deal with that is......

 

When mine blinks I just tap the gas and it normally engages.

 

That's odd. I've never applied my e brake on my 6 speed when engaging 4wd. Only "special" thing I have to do is stop and depress the clutch when going to 4LO

 

My truck has definitely given me some blinking light while powering all 4 wheels. I noticed this a few times in the snow and on severe cold days. My thought was something was stuck and didn't quite close fully to notify the sensor. Also when this happens and I flip it back to 2 It has taken a very long time for the light to stop blinking as well.

Now my problem is that the light blinks and the front wheels still aren't powered. Something isn't dropping in. Any thoughts on where to check for simple solutions before I take to the dealer and spend $$$$$$$